Metal particle dispersion structure, microparticles comprising this structure, articles coated with this structure, and methods of producing the preceding

Abstract

A metal particle dispersion structure characteristically comprising (B) 0.005 to 100 weight parts of metal nanoparticles dispersed in (A) 100 weight parts of polymerized polymer, wherein the metal nanoparticles are metal particles obtained by mixing (b1) organohydrogenpolysiloxane and (b2) at least one metal compound which is soluble in component (b3) to uniformity in (b3) cyclic or chain dimethylpolysiloxane or at least one organic solvent.

1. A metal particle dispersion structure comprising
 (B) 0.005 to 100 weight parts of metal particles having an average primary particle size, as determined by electron microscopic observation, in the range of 3 to 1,000 nm dispersed in 
 (A) 100 weight parts of polymer yielded by the polymerization of
 (a) reactive functional group-containing polymer precursor, 
 
 wherein the metal particles are metal particles obtained by mixing
 (b1) at least one organosilicon compound that has at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atom per molecule and 
 (b2) at least one metal compound having the compositional formula (1) shown below
   L n M,[L n M] p+ (Q q−)   r , or (Q q+ ) r [L n M] p−   compositional formula (1):
 
 
 (wherein M is the cation of a metal that has a standard oxidation-reduction potential greater than 0.00 V and is selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), and platinum (Pt), 
 L is an organic ligand, 
 Q is a counter ion, 
 n is the number of organic ligands (L) coordinated per metal atom, and
 p, q, and r are numbers that satisfy the relationship p=q×r.) 
 
 to uniformity in 
 (b3) cyclic or chain dimethylpolysiloxane that has a viscosity at 25° C. of no greater than 1000 mPa·s or at least one organic solvent. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 1 , wherein component (a) is at least one organosilicon compound selected from crosslinkable organosilanes and/or organosiloxanes, and component (A) is an organosilicon-type polymer yielded by the crosslinking of said at least one organosilicon compound. 
     
     
       3. The metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 1 , wherein L in the compositional formula (1) for component (b2) is at least one organic ligand selected from the group consisting of C 2-20  alcohols, thiols, aliphatic chain amines, aliphatic cyclic amines, aromatic amines, pyridine derivatives, diketones, ketoesters, hydroxyketones, and carboxylate anions. 
     
     
       4. A method of producing the metal particle dispersion structure of  claim 1 , comprising:
 mixing the (a) reactive functional group-containing polymer precursor, the (b1) at least one organosilicon compound that has at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen per molecule, and the (b2) at least one metal compound having the compositional formula (1) to uniformity in the (b3) cyclic or chain dimethylpolysiloxane that has a viscosity at 25° C. no greater than 1000mPa·s or at least one organic solvent; and 
 causing component (a) to undergo a crosslinking reaction. 
 
     
     
       5. The metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 1 , wherein component (A) is organopolysiloxane obtained by crosslinking between
 (a1) organosilane that has at least two alkenyl groups per molecule and/or organosiloxane that has at least two alkenyl groups per molecule and 
 (a2) organohydrogenpolysiloxane that has at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule 
 in the presence of 
 (a3) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst. 
 
     
     
       6. A method of producing the metal particle dispersion structure of  claim 5 , comprising:
 uniformly mixing the (a1) organosilane that has at least two alkenyl groups per molecule and/or organosiloxane that has at least two alkenyl groups per molecule, the (a2) organohydrogenpolysiloxane that has at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule, the (b2) at least one metal compound having the compositional formula (1), and the (b3) cyclic or chain dimethylpolysiloxane that has a viscosity at 25° C. no greater than 1000 mPa·s and/or at least one organic solvent; and 
 causing a crosslinking reaction in the presence of the (a3) hydrosilylation reaction catalyst. 
 
     
     
       7. The metal particle dispersion structure of  claim 1 , wherein component (b2) is a metal compound and wherein M in the compositional formula (1) is the cation of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu); L in the compositional formula (1) is a monovalent carboxylate anion represented by R 1 —COO— (R 1  is substituted or unsubstituted C 1-20  alkyl), an amine represented by R 2 —NH 2  (R 2  is substituted or unsubstituted C 4-20  alkyl), or an alkylenediamine with the formula H 2 N—R 3 —NH 2  (R 3  is substituted or unsubstituted C 4-20  alkylene); Q in its occurrence as a positively charged counter ion in the compositional formula (1) is a cation selected from the group consisting of the proton (H + ), ammonium ion (NH 4   + ), sodium ion (Na + ), and potassium ion (K + ); and Q in its occurrence as a negatively charged counter ion in the compositional formula (1) is an anion selected from the group consisting of the nitrate ion (NO − ), chloride ion (Cl − ), sulfate ion (SO 4   2− ), and perchlorate ion (ClO 4− ). 
     
     
       8. The metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 1 , that is a film or a thin-film coating layer having a thickness of 0.1 μm to 10,000 μm. 
     
     
       9. The metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 1 , that is a particulate metal particle dispersion structure having an average particle size, as yielded by stereoscopic microscopic observation or dynamic light-scattering particle size distribution measurements, in the range of 0.01 to 1000 μm. 
     
     
       10. An article coated with the metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       11. The metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 2 , wherein component (A) is organopolysiloxane obtained by crosslinking between
 (a1) organosilane that has at least two alkenyl groups per molecule and/or organosiloxane that has at least two alkenyl groups per molecule and 
 (a2) organohydrogenpolysiloxane that has at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule 
 in the presence of 
 (a3) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst. 
 
     
     
       12. The metal particle dispersion structure according to  claim 5 , that is a particulate metal particle dispersion structure having an average particle size, as yielded by stereoscopic microscopic observation or dynamic light-scattering particle size distribution measurements, in the range of 0.01 to 1000 μm. 
     
     
       13. A method of producing the particulate metal particle dispersion structure of  claim 12 , comprising:
 emulsifying the (a1) organosiloxane that has at least two alkenyl groups per molecule, the (a2) organohydrogenpolysiloxane that has at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule, the (b2) at least one metal compound having the compositional formula (1), the (b3) cyclic or chain dimethylpolysiloxane that has a viscosity at 25° C. no greater than 1000 mPa·s, and the (a3) hydrosilylation reaction catalyst, in water in the presence of (C) an emulsifying agent; and 
 causing a crosslinking reaction in the water.